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Is Springfield Cost-Effective for State Government Operations? Rauner’s Not Sure

One of the Republican candidates for governor isn’t sure whether he wants the majority of high level state jobs in Springfield.

Some high level government jobs have moved north of I-80 as many of the most powerful lawmakers and officers live there. Bruce Rauner says that’s okay if it’s cheaper.

“Cost and productivity, we’ve got to bring down the cost of government, drive up the productivity of workers inside the government. That’s essential,” said Rauner at the debate inside the Hoogland Center for the Arts, heard live on WTAX. “Our tax burden is too high. Our spending is too high. We’ve got to bring that down.”

Rauner couldn’t say for sure where operations would be cheaper.

The other three candidates debating Rauner at the Hoogland Center for the Arts scoffed at that notion, noting that Springfield’s the state capital, not Chicago — and everything from parking to building leases to cost of living is lower downstate.